Car-coupling



(No Model.)

G. A. HIGHFIELD.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 431,659. Patented July 8, 1890.

29' ff I} witmmo J m wtoc AVW NITE TATIES PATENT O FICE.

GEORGE A. HIGHFIELD, OF SORANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COU PLl NG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,659, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed April 16,1890. Serial No. 348,223. (No model.)

The coupling-hooks or To all whom it may concern: draw-heads B B are each pivotally connected Be itknown that I, GEORGE A. HIGHFIELD, on a horizontal plane to the ends of a rod 6,

of Scrantomin the county of Lackawanna and passing through the shoulder a on the draw- State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain bar A, said rod bbeing extended rearwardly 5 new and useful Improvements in Car-Ooupthrough the plates C O, the latter provided hugs; and I do hereby declare the following with bearings riding in slots in the side pieces to beafull, clear, and exact description of the 0 Between the plates 0C is arranged a same, reference being had to the accompanyspring 0 preferably embracing the rod b, to

ing drawings, forming a part of this specificawhich latter is also secured a nut 19 or a like [0 tion, and to the letters of reference marked adjustable collar at a point in rear of the thereon. plate 0. As thus constructed and applied,

My invention has for its object to improve the spring 0 serves not only to hold the head the construction of the car-coupling shown of the bolt 1) and its coupling-hook or drawand described in Letters Patent No. 328,584, head against the shoulder a of the draw-bar x 5 granted me October 20, 1885, as assignee of A and in position for coupling, but it also E. T. Hall. The objection to the patented deoperates to receive the thrust of the drawvice was that as two differently-constructed bars and the pull of the coupling-hooks or draw-heads were employed it was necessary draw-head, as in either case one of the plates to have the cars in a certain relative position, 0 0, being supported by its lugs at the ex- 20 with opposite ends presented to each other, tremity of the slots in the side pieces C ,will in order to have them couple. By my invenresist the movement of the spring in either tion, however, the draw-heads and engagingdirection. hooks are constructed alike, so that they will The-coupling-hooks or draw-heads BB are automatically engage when brought together, each formed with two rearwardly-projecting 25 as I will now proceed to describe, and point and curved engaging-points cl d and correout particularly in the claims at the close of I spondingly-curved throats d 61', forming an this specification. arrow-head, as shown, so that when two of 8c In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perthese draw-heads come together the one that spective view showing the application of my happens to be the higher will ride up over 0 invention to a car. Fig. 2 is a side elevation the opposite point until both points pass each of two couplings engaged; Fig. 3, a longitudiother and enter the throat d of the opposite I nal sectional view taken on the line :1; 0c 'of draw-head,and they will then beheld securely Fig.1. in engagement. By pivoting the draw-heads,

bimilar letters of reference in the several as described, and uniting them by the curved 3 5 figures indicate the same parts. hooks I am enabled to securely and readily A A represent bumpers applied to the end couple and hold together cars of different of the draw-bars A A, and provided with heights. sockets and pins, as in ordinary draw-bars, For the purpose of uncoupling the drawfor the reception of a link-coupling, if from heads or holding one of them elevated, in or- 0 any cause it should become necessary or deder to have it uppermost when coupled,I emsirable to employ the same. The buffers are ploy a shaft F, secured in suitable bearings somewhat lower than the bodies of the drawto the car-body and secured to the draw-head 5, bars, so as to leave a space above them for by means of a chain f, so that as the shaft is the coupling-hooks secured to the upper sides rotated the head may be raised or lowered 5 of the draw-bars. and held in adjusted position by means of a Situated above and resting upon each of plate F having notches in it, with which an the buffers A is a coupling-hook B B, conarm F on the end of the'shaft is adapted to I00 structed and applied in the following manengage. The shaft is capable of a slight endner: The draw-bars A, provided near their wise movement to permit of its being secured 5o forward ends with a shoulder a, pass under to the plates.

or through the end timbers or sill of the car The advantages of this device over the patand are supported to slide thereon in any ented one will be at once apparent, cars of I05 suitable manner. different heights being permitted to be coupied, the coupling being effected aut01nati-.

cally,vand that irrespective of the end presented, while, if desired, the heads can be secured up, and the ordinary link-and-pin coupling employed.

I claim 1. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-bars provided with the bufiershav-i ing the recesses in their ends and vertical shoulders in rear thereof, of the rods passing through the draw-bars and extended beyond;

the shoulders thereon and upon the butters,

springs applied to said rods to hold them retracted, and the vertically-movable interlocking-coupling-hooks secured to said rods and having the engaging-shoulders on their upper and lower sides, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-bars provided with the buffers having the recesses in their ends and vertical shoulders in rearthereof, of the rods passingthrough the draw-bars and extended beyond the shoulders thereon and above the buffers, springs applied to said rods to hold them retracted,

and the'verticallymovable interlocking coupling-hooks secured to said rods and having the engaging-shoulders on their upper and lower-sides and means for raising and lowering them, substantially as described.

GEO. A. HIGHFIELD. Witnesses:

JAs. MCWILLIAMS, ADAM MOTCHMAN. 

